U.S. defense contractor FLIR Systems Inc. said today it received a $39.6 million order for delivering nano drones to the U.S. Army. The tiny surveillance drones, over six inches in length and with a flight time of up to 25 minutes, can be deployed by soldiers on the ground to identify threats beyond the line of sight, helping minimize collateral damage. The contract is a significant milestone with the operational large-scale deployment of the drones for use by the U.S. Army, FLIR Chief Executive Officer Jim Cannon said. The Black Hornet personal reconnaissance system drones have a range of 1.2 miles and will see deliveries begin in early 2019, the company said.